Godly Prayers out of Davids Psalms, Title page – Dedication
¶ Moſt Godly prayers compiled out of Dauids Pſalmes by D. Peter Martyr.
Tranſlated out of Latin into Engliſh by Charles Gremhan. G.
Seene and allowed according to the order appointed.
¶ Imprinted at London by William Seres.
1569.
Cum priuilegio.
To the Reader.
Correct your Booke in the arguments of the .14. and 15. prayer as foloweth.
Prayer .14. The argument therevnto ſet, belongeth vntounto the .15.
Prayer the .14. His proper argument: A praier for the grace of Chriſt againſt originall ſinne.
Ioſias Simler ſendeth hartie greeting to the right worſhipfull and his ſinguler good friend Doctor Herman Folkerſheimer Friſelander.
WHen as the laſt yere (moſt curteous Herman) I pervſed the writings of the exceeding godly & notable learned man Peter Martir my scholemaſter, and had gathered togither out of his librarie eueryevery ſmall pamphelet noted wyth his owne hand, I lighted by chaunce vppon certaine papers caſt a ſide and layde apart, wherein were diuers holy praiers of his owne hand writing. And when I had pervſed theſe diligently ouer, I thought it meete to put them forth in print: for although I certainlye knewe hee did not make them to that intent, yet neuertheleſſe there bee dyuers cauſes which moue me to go on vvith my former determination. The firſt is, that whē the counſaile of Trent began, there roſe vp both grieuous & deadly warre in Germanie for Religion, at which tyme Martir finished theſe praiers which he openly vſed in the Schooles at Strasborow at the end of his lectures, and are now very conuenient to be ſet forth in theſe dayes, wherein it behoueth vsus to make feruent prayers vntounto almightie God, that the like to the Counſaile of Trent being novv ended be not kindled againe. Moreouer the prayers conteyned in this ſmall booke, are both plaine, and do verye little diſagree from the wordes of the Pſalmes, vvhichwhich I accompt to bee highly eſteemed amongſt praiers. For diuers arguments of many Pſalmes are briefly and euidently expounded in theſe prayers, and a nū ber of darke and hard places made plain with a notable Paraphraſe. VVherefore I doubt not but that ſuch as be deſirous to read this short little booke, shall reape farre greater cōmoditie therby then many would ſuppoſe. Novv hauehave I dedicated this ſmall booke vntounto thee (my deere Herman) that thou mayſt hauehave both our Martyres token of remembraunce and mine alſo. For ſeing that thou diddeſt honour and reuerence Doctor Martyr (ſo long as hee liued) like a father: and moreouer louedſt me ſo excedingly hitherto, as I maye rightfully place thee in the number of my deereſt friendes: I verilye thinke that thou vvilt take this booke in right good vvorth, (although it be of a very ſmall volume) vvhichwhich I ſende vntounto thee being vvrittē in both our names. For ſo oft as you shall looke in this booke (vvhichwhich of your godly diſpoſitiō you vvil do very oft) ſo many times shal you call to minde the remembraunce of your olde friendes, not altogither to thee vnpleaſant (as I hope.) Neyther can the death of Doctor Martyr cauſe vsus to be any thing forgetful of him: nor yet the diſtance of place be any breach of our vnfeyned good vvill ſo long as vve hauehave life, that vve shoulde retain any whit leſſe the frendship heretofore begunne vvith letters and a friendly recordation of olde acquaintance.
Fare vvell at Zurike the xx. day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord 1564.
¶ Holy Prayers collected out of Dauids Pſalmes, by Docter Peter Martyr.
¶ A prayer out of the firſt Pſalme.
O Moſt good and moſte mightie God ſaue and kepe vsus (we pray thée) firſt from the perſwaſion of all wicked counſayles,A prayer for a chriſtian lyfe. next after this from all heynous and deadly crimes: ſuffer vsus not to fall into a wicked and vicious kinde of lyfe, and finally remooue our mindes farre from the contempt of godlyneſſe and deryding of all maner of vertuous déedes: graunt that in the ſtead of theſe moſt peſtilent thinges, we maye perpetually occupie our ſelues in thy law and in the holy Scriptures, ſo that we bée not led about lyke the wicked with eueryevery blaſt of affections and doctrines, as ſmall duſt and empty chaffe: but rather as trées planted by the riuers ſide, being indued with the lyfe of the ſpirite and with faith, we may abundantly ſhew forth the fruits of good woorkes: and that whatſoeuer we go about, maye hauehave proſperous ſucceſſe: to the praiſe and glorie of thy name, and the increaſe of our ſaluation: So that at the laſt, when in the tryall of thy iudgement, the wicked ſhall be caſt downe and brought to ſhame and vtter confuſion, we may by thy merciemercy both ſtand & be acquited through Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde. Amen.